Valve cage



Patented Sept. 14, 1948 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE CAGE Chalon E. Brivdwell, Detroit, Mich. Application september` 2, 1944, serial No. 552,533

2 Claims. (01.277-42) My invention relates to a new and useful lmprovement in a pump structure and particularly in a structure adapted for pumping oil from oil wells. The invention particularly relates to the valve construction of the pump structure.

In pumps of this type, a valve member which is loosely positioned in a valve cage is adapted for movement into engagement with a valve seat. Whether the valve member is a ball or a drop valve, such as a disc or the like, common dimculties are encountered.

One of these difficulties is the pounding of the valve member against the valve seat so that the valve member itself is defaced and sometimes broken and the valve seat becomes defaced and sometimes broken. This pounding is the result of the liquid weight pushed above the valve member and bearing downwardly on it. In very deep wells where the column of liquid above is many hundreds of feet in length, the weightis very considerable and suiiicient to exert a blow to crack a steel ball or to distort and misshape the ball or valve member should the member be made of comparatively soft material.

` Another difficulty is the defacing of the valve or the valve seat through the sand cutting action. Should sand or other foreign material lodge be tween the valve seat face and the valve member so` that the valve member is` held in slightly spaced relation to thevalve seat, the sand-bearing' fluid passing between these spaced apart members will veryY rapidly cut away one or the other member so that a sealing is no longer eiected.

The present invention has as its object a construction in which these diiliculties will be avoided.

Another object ofthe invention is the provi sion in an oil well pump of a valve construction so arranged that a sealing valve will gently move into sealing position and thus the injury Iesulting fromthe pounding ofthe liquid weight above is avoided.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve construction whereby a plurality of valvemembers will engage a common valve seat in such a manner that either of the valve members will serve to effect a closing of the valve. Consequently, should one of the valves be spaced apart by sand or foreign material, the other valve will function to eiect the closing and a sand cutting operation is avoided.

Another object of the invention is the provision. in an oil well pump of a valve mechanism having a plurality of concentrically arranged valves, each adapted for engagement with a common valve seat and each movable independently of the other.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. It is recognized that various modications an changes may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the invention and vit is intended that such variations shall be encompassed within the scope of the claims which form a part hereof. 1 Forming a part of this specication are draw ings in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, central. sectional view of a pump structure showing the invention ap`- plied;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view of the structure taken below the section shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view of a section of the structure taken at a position below that shown in Fig. 2. y

In the drawings, I have illustrated the invention used with an oil well having a tube I which extends downwardly and is connected to the anchor shoe 8, Fastened t0 and extending below the anchor shoe is the separator tube 9 which is closed at its lower end by the bull plug III; AV

plurality of lateral openings II are formed in the gas separator tube 9. Slidably positioned in the tubing 'I is the travelling barrel or work barrel I2, the upper end of which is connected to the valve coupling I3 which is connected at its upper end to the valve cage I4 having the threaded stud I5 at its upper end which connects to the sucker4 rod I6. The valve cage I4 is provided with the inwardly directed flange II against which is clamped, by the coupling I3, the peripheral flange I8 on the valve seat I9. Pressed into the bore formed in the valve seat I9 is a bushing 20.

Pressed into the bore 2I of the Valve cage I4 is a guide sleeve 22 having a plurality of openingsj 23 formed therein. The upper portion of the valve cage is also provided with a plurality of openings 24 and it will be noted that the valve cage I4, the barrel I2 and the parts connecting these two members are slightly spaced at their periphery from the inner space of the tubing "I, Extended into the sleeve 22 so as to freely slide therein is a cup 25 having an enlarged cup` shaped structure 26 on one end. The end edges of the cup 26 yare adapted to engage the end face of the valve seat I9 and effect a sealing connection. Slidably projected into the bore 21 of the cup-shaped structure 25 is a stem 28 which projects centrally outwardly from the cup-shaped .3 member 23 which nests in the cup 26 and which is adapted to engage at its end faces with the face of the valve seat I9. The stem 28 is a loose t in the bore 2l, there being considerable clearance between th'ese parts, reaching perhaps a clearance of thirty-thousandths of an inch.

The lower end of the barrel l2 is provided with the pull nut 30 which projects inwardly from the inner surface of the barrel l2 and serves as an abutment member for engaging the pull tube plunger coupling 3l when it is desired to pull th'e standing valve of the well. in the structure shown in the drawings, is ernbraced by the barrel l2 and the constructionl or,

the same will now be described. y

A pull tube 32 is connected at its upper'4 endlto the coupling 3l and at its lower end tothe-anchoror cup hold down member 33. Threaded onto the lower end of the member 33 is a seating collar 34 which is adapt-ed to seat against the surface 35 inthe anchor shoe 8. Secured to and projecting downwardly from the seating collar so as to eX- tend within the gas tube 9 is the production tube 3S. Suitable sealing gaskets 3l are mounted on the. member 3-3. so as to seal against the inner surface of the anchor shoe 8. Connected to the upperend of the-coupling 34 is a center or standing valve cage 38- pressed into which is a guide sleeve139. A shoulder 40 is formed on the cage 38 and clamped against this shoulder 4l) by means of thegstanding plunger 44 is the peripheral flange 42 of the valve seat 44 having a bore formed therethrough.l lined byv the bushing 43. Slidably engaging, in. thersleeve 33 is a hollow stem 45 which terminates in the cup-shaped member 45 adapted toengage at its end edges with the face 4l of the valve'seat 4,4. A bore 48 is formed in the stem 45 and loosely engaging in this bore 48 is the stem 4Qcarryingat its lower end the cup-shaped structure, Ellwhich isadapted to engage at its en-d edges or faces with the face 4l' of the valve seat 44. The standing valve construction positionedbelow the travelling. valve is of substantially the same construction as the travelling valve. and operation is quite similar also. Whenthe pumpA isy being operated, thev sucker rod |6- is, of course, beingreciprocated by a suitable source of power. As the rod l5 moves upwardly, the barrel l2, and the mechanism between the barrel l2 and the. rod lalso moves as a unit. The valve members 2B and 29 will, on this upward movement, be in., engagement withthe face of, the valve lseat i9 andeiect the necessary sealing, or closing: of the valve,` the cup-shaped valves 46. and 5G will bey movedI upwardly into open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be notedthat the valve-s 46 and 50 are closely nested. On ther reverse stroke, these' valves 50 and 46.will move into closing position, the valve member 50 moving into the same relative position tothe valve member 46 as the valve member 29y bears: to the valve member 26 in Fig. 1. At the same time, that is on the reverse stroke, the valve memberl 29 willy move further inwardly of the valve member Zsoas to fully' nest therein.l

As the downward stroke begins, a suction will be set up on the valves 46, and 5U, tending to pull these valves downwardly into closed position. Since the suction will be centered more directlsr on.. the valve 5e than on the valve 46, the valve will, close first followed, after a brief interval, .by a. closing of thevalvev 46. The valve 50, however, inclosing is not closing in response tothe pres.- sureof the.- column of liquid above;` as the column of liquid above cannot reach4 it. to exert; down- This standing valve,

The. function,

ward pressure on it but rather serves to retard its movement into closing position. Consequently, the valve closes with a slow, easy movement and there is no pounding against the valve seat. The liquid above, in the meantime, is filling the space in the bore 43 so that the ydownward movement of the valve 46 does not begin until after the valve 5G has closed. The pressure of the liquid around the valve 46 gradually is equalized and this valve moves downwardly but,l in doing so, the liquid in the bore 48 has to be pressed outwardly, thus retarding the movement of the valve 4B to closing position. In practical operation, the valve 50 when it seats on its seat 44 does not make an absolutely leak-proof connection as there will a1- ways lbe some-foreign material between the meeting faces. Consequently, there will always be a slight amount of leakage and this leakage permitsthe Valve 46 to close as otherwise the equaliced pressure would unduly retard the closing of thevalve..

The same action` takes place on the valves; 2E. and 2e. Examining Fig. 1, it isobvious that when: the sucker rod l bis moving on its upward stroke, the valves 2G and 29 will be inthe position shown, in Figl.` However, as the sucker rod completes its upward stroke and begins its downward stroke, the portion 25 will slidevupwardlyl in the sleeve 22 and thevalve 29 willslide upwardly in the valve.` 25. On the reverse movement, theValve12lwill4 close in the manner described for the Valve= 50. Likewise, the valve 2S will close. shortly= after the valve 29 but thisclosing wi-llbe slow andv easy and; there will be no poun-ding.

When the valves move from the position shown: in. Fig. l to open position, as shown in Fig. 2, there; is an action` which takes place and which it. is` believed. should b e referred to.` when thevalve 50 has. moved into the position. shown in. Fig. 2, it has not moved into nesting withthe cup 46 rapidly so as. to deliver a blowv but slowly so that. the liquid in the bore 48 is', led outwardly. This, however, does not prevent a. rapid opening of the valves. As soon: as. the up;-l wardstroke on the sucker` rod= Iii; commences, the valve 46; will move upwardlyV and rapidly open the passage through the valve seat 44. After thev valvey llenas reached the position shown,in.Fig.,2 the valve 5E) willl continue its upward movement. in response,` to, the pressure of. the liquidrushingupv from below until it hasfully nested in ther valvev46as shown in Fig. 2. The-same, of course,b applies to they operation and function of the valves 26 and 2S.

It will benoted thatthel valves engage the common valve seati and that; these valves are con.- centric of each other so that should one of` the: valves be held unduly spaced from. its' seat; the cutting Orthez sand upon it, by rthe liquid wouldbe, prevented because, thev other.l valvey wouldv be; able: to eiect the sea-ling; and prevent therapid iiowof liquid which is. necessary, to; carry on the sand: cutting action.

It is preferred that, the valve seats Hi` and. 44 be made from` non-magnetic material. These; seats. mayl be madel out of Dow metal, Monel.- metal, various types ofstainlesssteel or any'otherfr non-magnetic alloy or met-a1. Whenformingfthe; seatsA ll or: 441 from a comparatively'soft, nonmagnetic material', it is preferredJ that'the bush-- ings 20;.and: 4,3.be made from a hard, weareresist-, ing material, such as tool steel or a wear-resistingl copper alloy-cfa high degree of hardness.

. Sl'iould-l a particle of sand: lodge under lthe valve 219= so astow. tilt: it. at.. one side, the valve' Z'musi;

For instance,

nive to closed position so that the clearance between the valve 129 and the valve 26 must be sufcient to permit this relative tilt. Likewise, the clearance between the stem 28 and the bore or socket 21 must be sufficient to permit this tilt. The clearance between the valve 29 and the valve 26 will be between 20,000ths and 50,000ths of an inch and the clearance between the stem 28 and the bore or passage 21 would be slightly greater than this and the clearance between the neck 25 and the tube 2i would be even more.

In this manner, I have provided a pump structure, and particularly a valve structure, attaining the objects set out and avoiding the difliculties referred to. This results, of course, in a more highly eiiicient pump as it effects a greater volume and reduces to a minimum the number of times it is necessary to pull the pumps to remove and replace the valve and valve seats.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a pumping mechanism: a valve seat positioned in the path of flow of liquid and having an opening formed therethrough for passage of liquid therethrough and provided with an end face for engaging a valve for closing said opening said end face lying in a plane at right angles to its axis; a guide sleeve having a bore formed therethrough arranged in axial alignment with said valve seat; a cup-shaped valve for engaging the face of said valve seat for closing the passage therethrough and provided with a hollow neck extending into said guide sleeve and slidable therein; a second cup-shaped valve engageable with said seat face simultaneously with the engagernent of said rst valve with said seat face and nesting in said first-named cup-shaped valve; a stem projecting centrally from the base of said second valve and slidably engaging in said neck; and a valve cage embracing said valve structure for conducting fluid passing through said opening along and around said valve structure, said uid having access to the hollow portion of said neck, said stem being of suiciently small diameter to provide space in said neck for passage of fluid thereinto and therefrom.

2. In a pumping mechanism: a valve seat positioned in the path of flowing liquid and having an opening formed therethrough for passage of liquid therethrough and provided with an end face for engaging a valve for closing said opening; a guide sleeve having a bore formed therethrough arranged in axial alignment with said valve seat; a cup-shaped valve for engaging the face of said valve seat for closing the passage therethrough and provided with a hollow neck projecting outwardly from its base and extending into said guide sleeve and slidable therein; a second cup-shaped valve nesting in said first named cup-shaped valve and engageable with said seat face simultaneously with the engagement with said rst named valve with said seat face; a stern projecting centrally from the base of said second valve and slidably engaging in said neck; and a valve cage embracing said valve structure for conducting uid passing therethrough along and around said valve structure, said fluid having access to the hollow portion of said neck, the portion of said cup-shaped valve nesting in said first named valve and being of less diameter than the portion in which nested and said stem of sufliciently smaller diameter than the interior diameter of said neck to provide space in said neck for passage of fluid thereinto and therefrom, said stem being of less length than the interior of said neck.

CHALON E. BRIDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 349,586 Glace Sept. 21, 1886 1,199,569 Kelsey Sept. 26, 1916 1,572,507 Robert Feb. 9, 1926 1,786,846 Hodsdon Dec. 30, 1930 2,339,101 Parker Jan. 11, 1944 

